In An Italian Morning, the reader will find 39 poems, 12 "Interlude" selections, and 9 paintings by Suzanne Gilliard. We are conveyed into a world that one can reach only through poetry - where the joy found in solitude and the solace found in universal connection emerge. Here, D'Ambrosio brings us to an enriched familiar.

The title of this beautiful book, An Italian Morning, taken from her poem "The Consolation in Being History," alludes to the mysterious origins of her Italian-American self and then to her engulfing love of the world and family. Brimming over with fresh language, the book treats the serious and/or witty concerns of maturity and the yearnings and lively flickerings of youth.

D'Ambrosio presents an entirely original method of bringing attention to her poetic style - with three "Interludes," way-stations, that act as multi-layering rest-stops to refresh and delight with their harmonious tone. The innovative "Interludes" comprise six of her unexpected "found-poems" - three from Melville's Moby Dick and three from Shakespeare - and six of her own translations of the great Argentinian poet Alfonsina Storni.

Accompanying the vivid imagery of D'Ambrosio's poetry are the brilliant and passionate paintings of Suzanne Gilliard. Gilliard's painterly realism sets the stage for each section of An Italian Morning and makes this an artistic pairing that is worth experiencing again and again.